Archive for the ‘Team USA’ Category

My confidence level is about the same as Bolt's for Team USA's game vs. Argentina (image from BBC's Olympics 2008 blog)

For a year I have been worried. Beginning the moment that Team USA finished up the FIBA Olympic Qualifier last summer, doubts crept into my mind.

What if a key player gets injured (LeBron), convicted (Melo), engaged (all of them — they’re NBA players)? What if Colangelo makes an asinine roster mistake? What if any superstar attitudes that were pushed selflessly to the side during the qualifier emerge during the Olympics? And worse: what if none of this matters because the international competition is simply too good now?

After only six games, only 10 days, though, I have put all fear behind me.

With Argentina waiting tomorrow morning (10:15 am ET, USA network I’m assuming), I am almost unable to even imagine a scenario where Team USA does not walk away with the W and march onward to the gold medal game. The team is playing too well, their defense (save for some occasional slap your forehead lapses) too scrappy, their desire too fierce.

More importantly, Argentina is a squad full of NBA players. Trust me, this is a good thing. Manu Ginobli and Oberto play on the Spurs — a team that has been playing long into the post season for numerous years now. That’s built in scouting right there. Additionally, Kobe and Prince have both matched up against Ginobli in important games before, so they know what to expect.

Likewise for Nocione and, to a lesser extent, Scola. Both played on playoff teams recently and are good enough to have garnered some attention.

Then there’s Delfino. Delfino… well, whatever, he’s just Delfino.

The point is, Team USA has performed well against all the teams they have faced in these Olympic games with NBA talent. They beat China (two current, one former, one future NBAer) by 31, Spain (four current, one former, two future) by 27, and Germany (two current) by 49.

Meanwhile, they “only” beat Angola and Greece by 21 and 23 respectively, neither of whom has a current NBA player on their squad.

This isn’t a knock on the USA scouting staff. It’s simply easier to get up for a game against a rival, and it’s easier to play against opponents that you have game familiarity with.

With the final goal so close to being realized and the team rolling, Argentina should prove to be nothing more than a turnstile for Team USA: an obstruction offering little resistance, and the only thing between USA and a shot at gold.

At times, it was almost magical. There were moments so inspiring that I stood up from my chair in the empty newsroom of my grad school, yelled to myself with a silent, mouth open roar (so as to not break the spell), and celebrated with arms flexed, just as I saw Chris Bosh do later, just as I once did during my own playing days.

Is tomorrow the day that this image is rectified? (image from NBA.com)

So this is it. It’s now just a little under 24 hours before the game that should be the heart of Team USA’s motivation takes place: a rematch with Greece, the team that beat the US squad in the FIBA World Championship semis, and officially made it clear that the Dream Team glory days were gone for good. The team assembled for those FIBA games was a constructed team, one built to best compete against the international brand of basketball, one built to rebound from the bronze medal finish in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. Greece showed that the building was unstable – it had flaws in its architecture.

Tomorrow morning is the chance for a small salvation. It’s the game that DWade, LeBron, and Melo have been replaying over and over since that 101-95 loss.

And how did Team USA prepare for the game? By looking lackluster against Angola, that’s how.

If there is one thing to take away from Team USA’s game against China, it’s that the intensity displayed by Coach K’s squad is the most promising thing I have seen from USA Basketball in the last six years.

Was it a perfect game? Not by any means. Jason Kidd continues to be turnover prone in his older age. Kobe Bryant was out of rhythm (his first jumper hitting the side of the backboard a la Richard Jefferson of the Bad-Dream Team). Melo never got involved on offense (neither on his accord or the rest of the team’s). Redd spent too much time on the bench while the rest of the team spent too much time missing 3’s. And the entire team went for too many perimeter steals, which led to some uncontested looks for China.

But none of that mattered; the will to dominate was apparent. Surely the fact that they were playing the home team in front of a packed, pro-China/pro-USA house helped keep the energy level up. China’s decision to try and play uptempo with them early on helped as well.

Is it possible that Team USA is not the best of all the teams in this vast expanse? (image from AccuWeather.com)

In case you haven’t heard, the Olympics are about to start. I know, it snuck right up on me too!

If there’s one thing I’m looking forward to more than NBC’s bastardizing Sirius/XM-like monopoly of all coverage 5 rings, it’s the constant scrutiny every sports media outlet in the damn country is placing the Men’s Basketball Team under.

I mean, I get it. Team USA lost the gold medal last Olympics. I am aware. Argentina, right?

But lets clear something up right now. The rest of the world is better. Two times for those who learn best through repetition: The rest of the world is better. You know it, I know it, the criticizers, quotemongers, ESPN talking heads, blogosphere residents-everyone knows it. So lets all take this into account and stop acting like USA should be utterly dominant. It’s a new time. Deal with it.

Should Team USA win the gold medal? I think this is where all of this scrutiny comes from: people are having a hard time coping with the fact that the gold medal isn’t a guarantee. Can you handle the fact that maybe, possibly, there is better national team out there?

Team USA takes their show to China for their 2nd of 5 pre Olympic exhibition games, this one against Turkey (photo from Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE, found here)

And we’re here. Good morning to all. This will be a mostly live blog of Team USA’s first pre Olympic tune-up game being played in China. Now, to the action:

A little internet delay, so here’s your recap of the first few minutes. ‘Bron’s back (starting in place of Wade), and he looks focused. Hedo Turkoglu won’t be playing today. USA looks solid coming out. LeBron drives to the cup, Melo splashes a J, Howard turns the ball over. About right.

Turkey has a couple of recognizable players. International basketball really is making a huge impact on the NBA.

Bron hits a three, Melo hits his second from nearly the same spot as the first.

Turkey is wearing soccer length jersey tops, and half of their players have them untucked. I don’t think I approve of that very much; it just looks sloppy.

Jason Kidd continues his inexplicable high shooting percentage from last year’s FIBA tournament as he hits a top of the key three.

Team USA then promptly gives up an alley-oop lay up on D as Turkey beats them down the court.

Chris Bosh hits a very Bosh-esque lay up (awkward looking, body turned in a weird angle) off of a feed from Kobe, putting the score at 20-15 US.

LeBron drops a gorgeous dime to Bosh for a quick two.

Turkey quickly misses a three, US goes the other way but botches a Kobe to James oop that would have blown up the arena, and Turkey comes back with a quick lay-up.

Dywane Wade, checked into the game for 5 seconds, uses his international play go-to move: the charge. And it’s good! Turkey ball.(more…)

So I’ve got a little input about the cornily dubbed Redeem Team’s performance versus Canada that took place last night, but until I’ve got time to properly evaluate the situation, enjoy two YouTube clips to tide you over.

The first is a video I saw on Dime Mag’s website, quietly one of my favorite basketball websites. If you don’t know about Ricky Rubio yet, a) you’ve been hiding, but b) you will once the Olympics start. Kid’s only 17.

The second is a metaphor for how Canada’s Carl English felt last night when Kobe stole his cookies, milk, snack pack, soft lunch box with the blue ice pack inside and shoulder strap, AND his membership from whatever hair salon he goes to before coasting in for an unimpressive dunk. Found at a site called FAIL blog (nod to my roomie Andy who is under the knife to repair his shattered wrist as we speak).

Beijing. An impending challenge looming in an impending summer. Certainly nothing to worry about now, not with training camp and pre-season coming up, not with the quest of the NBA Championship, the one that brings in the bread (the quest for the other, until recently, only good for bringing in the bronze), the one where careers and legends are truly made. But with patriotism and pride still hanging thicker than these hot, hazy San Diego days, the question of who will go to battle for Team USA next summer matters more than the upcoming season. At least until I see KG suited up in his Celtics home whites for the first time.

Chris Sheridan wrote an interesting article on how he sees the roster selections breaking down for the Olympics (read the full article here). Sheridan sees seven locks—Kobe, ‘Bron, Melo, Kidd, Howard, Redd, and STAT—as well as two guaranteed additions in D Wade and Bosh (of course, all predictions are based on healthy players). The tenth spot will be a back-up PG—either Chauncey, Paul, Williams, or Hinrich. The final two spots, according to Sheridan, will most likely to be filled by Battier and Brand.

Sensible thinking by Sheridan, and surely his connections with NBA insiders allows for a more accurate prediction than I can make, but if logic rules the selection process next summer, this is how the roster should end up: (more…)

Puerto Rico is in zone on the US’s second offensive possession…and Jason Kidd scores on a jumper. I bet none of you saw that coming. Jason Kidd, zone buster.

Remember when Kobe had Arroyo in shackles last game? Well now Jason Kidd is guarding him, and Arroyo is out for revenge.

Chris Carring just said, “Kidd, an offensive barrage.” It’s been a confusing game thus far.

Puerto Rico is the first team this tournament to match the USA’s intensity when USA is playing hard.

A quick clip of Puerto Rico’s coach yelling at them as they come into a time out. Unlike seemingly every other team the US has played, Puerto Rico fully expects to compete and win. It’s a shame it took this long for a real challenger to cross paths with USA, it will be interesting to see how good they can be when pushed to play at their highest level.

Ayuso splashes his second three in a row, bringing the score to 27-30, and for a quick second the momentum teeters on the brink of getting away for Team USA. Then Kobe calmly nails a deep three off of a catch, pause, decide not to care there’s a man guarding me, and jack. USA back up 6, and along with the lead, there is the realization that Kobe will not let this team lose. If he plays in Beijing, they win the gold. It’s as simple as that.

Dwight Howard just swiped Ayuso’s free throw attempt off the rim. It’s been very apparent that the coaching staff has drilled the team on this aspect of the international game.

Surprisingly, I have yet to yell at Bill Walton this telecast. There are ominous clouds on the horizon though.

Well who would have seen this coming, Bill just made an asinine statement. “Kobe Bryant would have been a better player if he had gone to college.” Dwight Howard crushes a monster one handed jam–the first none-two-handed dunk I’ve seen from him all tournament. “There, though, is a player who would not have benefited from college.” Yup, comparing what they have done in their careers so far makes the statement perfectly logical…in Dancing Bears land. (more…)

USA beat Argentina 91-76 tonight. Kobe did as Kobe often does, starting off hot (15 in the first quarter), and leading the squad in scoring with 27. Melo’ returned from his injury of a bruised heel (that looked scary if you watch his knee lock momentarily), and showed no, I mean absolutely not one, ill effect. He had a dunk off of a head fake where two unlucky Argentinians found their way into the American public eye for all the wrong reasons. It was the nastiest Carmelo jam I have ever seen (a little reminiscent of Amara on Olowakandi too).